But I'm the same me

The undead horde surged forward, their forms twisting and writhing as they slammed into the walls of Pillaris like a tide crashing against the cliffs. For now, their focus was singular—scaling the walls that loomed before them, their jagged edges promising the only barrier between the living and the abyss.

From the parapets, defenders peered down at the swarm below, the dim firelight flickering against countless skeletal faces. The first wave began their ascent, bony hands clawing at the stone, their hollow eye sockets staring upward with an unrelenting hunger.

The skeletal warriors were the first to ascend, their agility unnatural, their movements jerking and erratic. Some found purchase easily, their clawed fingers slipping into cracks and grooves, while others fell as arrows struck their brittle forms, shattering them into pieces that clattered to the ground below.

"Hold steady!" Arika shouted from the central gate. Her spear glinted as she thrust it downward, impaling a climbing skeleton and sending it crashing back into the horde.

Nearby, Ryden fought furiously, fighting with a sword and occasinoally thowing out a carving that would leap into the horde intending to cause as much damage as possible. We just need to wittle their numbers down" he yelled to a nearby archer

The defenders fought valiantly, but the horde showed no signs of relenting. For every skeleton that fell, three more began their climb.

Above the climbing swarm, ghostly specters hovered, their translucent forms phasing in and out of sight. They wailed as they flew, their hollow cries piercing the air and rattling the nerves of the defenders. Some specters dove toward the walls, only to be met by spirit-wielders and enchanted arrows that burned them into nothingness.

One specter, larger than the rest, materialized in front of a Dog Clan warrior, its skeletal claws outstretched. The warrior froze, his shield raised, but before the specter could strike, Torran's bear spirit roared and charged. The massive creature collided with the ghostly form, tearing it apart in a burst of shimmering light.

"Focus on the climbers!" Torran ordered, his sword slashing through another skeleton. "Leave the ghosts to the spirit-wielders!"

Everywhere along the walls, the defenders of Pillaris and the Zodiac clans pushed back the relentless onslaught.

At the northern gate, the deer spirit lowered its antlers, golden-green energy cascading from its form. Vines erupted from the ground below, ensnaring climbing skeletons and dragging them back down into the swarm. Each pulse of the deer's energy bolstered the nearby warriors, their strikes becoming faster and more precise.

The eastern wall, guarded by the lake spirit, was a flurry of water and light. As skeletal knights reached the upper sections of the wall, the spirit unleashed torrents of water that knocked them loose, sending them plummeting into the masses below. A Rabbit Clan warrior darted past, her dagger flashing as she severed the hand of a skeleton that had nearly reached the parapet.

Darius, stationed at the southern gate, swung his new hammer with brutal efficiency. Each strike sent shockwaves through the stone, knocking multiple climbers back at once. He planted himself firmly at the edge of the parapet, his booming voice rallying the spearmen around him. "Don't let them up! Keep striking!"

Not all the defenders fared so well. A Pillaris archer loosed arrow after arrow until her quiver was empty. As a skeleton reached the parapet in front of her, she drew her dagger, her hand trembling as she prepared to face it. Before it could strike, a warrior from the Goat Clan appeared, his massive hammer crushing the skeleton into dust.

"Keep going!" he shouted, helping her to her feet. "We're not done yet!"

On the western wall, Rice ducked as a specter flew overhead, its icy claws grazing the air just inches from his head. "Too close!" he shouted, leaping onto the parapet to slice through a climbing skeleton. His short blade snapped the creature's spine, sending it tumbling back into the horde. "Could use a little less excitement up here!"

Lyssara, perched near the eastern wall, directed her warriors with sharp precision. "Set the traps now!" she commanded. Below her, metallic nets suddenly sprang to life, slicing through climbing skeletons and sending their remains cascading into the masses below. Her serpent spirit slithered along the edge, snapping its jaws at specters that dared approach.

Despite their efforts, the defenders began to see the sheer enormity of the undead swarm. For every skeleton knocked down, dozens more took their place. The sound of their climbing—bones scraping against stone—mixed with the ceaseless wailing of specters and the growls of abominations gathering below.

The turtle spirit stood near the central plaza, its massive form unmoving. It raised one colossal limb and brought it down with a thunderous impact, sending vibrations through the earth that dislodged climbers from the walls. Its glowing shell pulsed with golden light, a steady reminder of its promise to shield the city.

The defenders held strong, their courage tempered by the knowledge that this was only the beginning. The walls of Pillaris were still secure, but the relentless tide of death showed no signs of slowing.

The defenders braced for the next wave, their weapons raised and spirits burning despite the oppressive weight of the undead horde. But even as they fought valiantly, the battle escalated into chaos.

Above the city, the sky filled with the skeletal forms of bone dragons. Their massive wings spread wide, the tattered remnants of their leathery membranes trailing green fire that hissed and crackled in the air. The dragons let out guttural, otherworldly roars that shook the ground, their hollow eyes glowing with necrotic energy.

One dragon dove low, its claws raking across the parapets of the southern wall. The sharp edges of its skeletal talons tore through stone and mortar, sending chunks of debris raining down on the warriors below. Defenders screamed as they were thrown from their positions, the impact of the attack leaving gaps in the once-solid fortifications.

"Take it down!" Darius roared, pointing his hammer toward the beast. Archers scrambled to aim their arrows, their hands shaking as they loosed shot after shot.

A volley struck the dragon's ribcage, some of the arrows finding their mark and shattering bone. The creature screeched in fury, its long neck twisting as it turned its glowing gaze on the defenders. Its maw opened, and a torrent of green fire erupted forth, engulfing a section of the wall. The defenders caught in the blaze screamed, their bodies crumbling into ash as the fire consumed them.

"Back, back!" Darius shouted, grabbing a wounded warrior and hauling him away from the flames. His hammer swung upward as the dragon swooped close again, the impact of his strike cracking one of its ribs. The beast veered off, but not before another of its kind descended, unleashing another wave of destruction.

Below, the horde continued its relentless climb. Skeletons clambered over one another, forming macabre ladders of bone as they ascended the walls. Some of them reached the parapets, their bony hands grasping at the defenders with unyielding determination.

On the northern wall, a skeletal knight, clad in rusted armor and wielding a jagged blade, pulled itself onto the parapet. A Pillaris spearman thrust his weapon forward, but the knight deflected the blow with its shield. It countered with a brutal swing, its blade carving through the spearman's armor and sending him crumpling to the ground.

The deer spirit lowered its glowing antlers, unleashing a burst of golden energy that burned through the knight's form, reducing it to ash. But even as it fell, more climbed into its place, their jagged weapons clashing against the defenders' bronze.

Rice found himself cornered by two skeletons, their movements quick and erratic. He ducked beneath a swing, his twin blades flashing as he severed the legs of one and decapitated the other. "I'm starting to think we underestimated this!" he shouted, dodging another attack.

On the eastern wall, Ryden faced a trio of specters that phased through the stone, their clawed hands reaching for him. He activated one of his sculptures just in time it was a carving of the sun, the glowing statue formed a barrier that repelled the ghosts. He turned to a nearby Rabbit Clan warrior. "Focus on the climbers! I'll deal with these!"

The warrior nodded, her daggers flashing as she darted toward a group of skeletons pulling themselves over the parapet.

The battle raged in every corner of Pillaris.

At the western gate, Zael of the Thunder Striders led a daring charge from the parapets. Her golden horse spirit galloped beside her, trampling over skeletons that had scaled the walls. She thrust her spear into the chest of a towering abomination, the tip crackling with energy as the creature collapsed in a heap. "Hold the line!" she shouted, her voice carrying above the chaos.

Near the eastern gate, Torran of the Dog Clan fought shoulder to shoulder with his warriors. His bear spirit lunged at a bone dragon that had landed on the parapet, its massive jaws snapping around the creature's skeletal neck. Torran's sword swung in a wide arc, cleaving through a group of skeletons that had surrounded him. "We don't fall today!" he roared, rallying the defenders around him.

Lyssara of the Snake Clan moved like a shadow along the walls, her serpent spirit slithering beside her. She leapt onto the back of a skeletal knight, plunging her daggers into its spine before vaulting to another enemy. "Set the traps! Now!" she ordered. Below, a group of her warriors triggered a hidden mechanism, releasing spiked nets that ensnared dozens of climbing undead, dragging them back into the swarm.

The guardians of Pillaris continued their fight, their immense power stemming the tide in key areas.

The deer spirit, its antlers glowing brighter than ever, summoned vines that coiled around the skeletal climbers, crushing them with unrelenting force. Its resonant call echoed across the battlefield, reinvigorating the defenders and pushing back the despair that threatened to overwhelm them.

The turtle spirit planted itself firmly near the south gate, its massive limbs crushing abominations that attempted to scale the walls. Its golden shell pulsed with energy, creating shockwaves that dislodged climbers and toppled undead siege engines attempting to breach the gates.

The lake spirit weaved through the eastern wall, its shimmering form releasing jets of water that hardened into crystalline spikes, skewering clusters of undead. It let out a melodic call, its song carrying strength and courage to the warriors fighting nearby.

Despite the defenders' efforts, the horde continued to press forward. The bone dragons circled above, their fiery breath leaving trails of destruction. The walls, though still standing, were beginning to crack under the strain. The defenders fought valiantly, but their numbers were dwindling, their energy flagging.

Arika, standing at the central gate, raised her spear high. Her phoenix spirit dove into the horde, releasing a burst of flames that incinerated a cluster of undead. She turned to the warriors near her, her voice cutting through the chaos. "We hold this wall, no matter what!"

The defenders roared in response, their determination shining through even the darkest moments. Pillaris was battered but unbroken, the light of its guardians and its people standing firm against the tide of death.